The Sailing Club was founded in 1949 by Edmund Cullimore Grace a past landlord of the Anchor Inn, Oldbury. Together with a small group of friends Edmund’s dream was to develop the sport of sailing in the district. By the end of 1949 the Club consisted of 40 members and 8 craft. At its 70^th anniversary in 2019 this had risen to 252 members and over 200 craft. A concise history of the Club may be found on the Club’s website www.thornburysc.org.uk

The Club is situated in its own extensive grounds on the bank of the Severn Estuary, adjacent to the village of Oldbury-on-Severn. Access is via a private road that commences by the pub car park opposite the Anchor Inn. Pedestrians enter via a kissing gate and follow the road to the first bend where the footpath goes to the left alongside the rhine to the Penstocks. The path then joins the Severn Way either over the Penstocks to the left or right to follow the main flood bank toward the old Oldbury Power Station.

At times when sailing or maintenance is taking place there will be vehicles travelling on the road so the Club respectfully requests that walkers, who choose to follow the road, keep to the field side rather than the hedge side due to the latter having a steep bank and ditch.

The Club welcomes spectators however, care must be taken as by its nature the area is a working site. It also advises parents that there is a drop into deep water at the end of the jetty, it can be very slippery and children should be kept away.

The Club does not have a refuse collection from its site therefore all waste is collected from outside the Club gate. It asks walkers and dog owners to be mindful of this.
The Sailing Club was proud to be awarded Bristol Channel Yachting Association Club of the Year in 2009 and 2017. It offers considerable amenities to its members which include refurbished changing rooms, a large meeting room, Galley and licensed bar also a secure compound for dinghies and a car park with area of hard standing for cruisers. Sadly the Pill offers limited mooring space so applications for membership are restricted to dinghy sailors or those wishing to learn to sail.

The tidal range in the Estuary is the second largest in the world and our sailing is constrained to about 2 hours either side of high tide. Members may sail at any time they wish but must remember that they are responsible for their own safety.

An RYA Training Course is offered each spring as is an in house improver’s course. Racing series take place whenever tides permit from April to December. A cruiser racing series is held in January and February.  

Social events such as an annual Regatta and Club Week are offered and when possible the Community are encouraged to join in. A monthly Club/Social evening gives members an opportunity to keep up with Club developments and socialise with other members. The club does not employ staff so all regular maintenance work is achieved by member’s voluntary efforts.

Prospective members should contact the Membership Secretary at membership@thornburysc.org.uk to request application forms, current fees or further information.